What It Is:

The Winter Fitness Challenge is a 30-minute swim. It can be done in any manner desired: straight through, as a member of a relay, or even with fins! Challenge proceeds benefit the Swimming Saves Lives Foundation and Adult Learn to Swim Programs.

What You Do:

Bill Meier is a USMS Level 4 Coach, ALTS Lead Instructor, and was the 2018 High Performance Camp Head Coach.

How You Win:

The NELMSC club with the greatest percentage of Winter Fitness Challenge registrants will win a Freestyle & Fitness Clinic led by Coach Bill Meier.

The Grand Prize:

The clinic includes freestyle stroke progression, video analysis, and swimmer specific nutrition information and exercises. The winning team will host the clinic and is responsible for pool fees and scheduling. Pool time is approximately 2 hours, and classroom time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Clinic Details:

Own your Walls - We will be focusing on both ends of the wall, the in and the out. It is common for so many swimmers to set up their turns on the approach which leads to the decrease in speed as we approach a pivotal point in your race along with focusing on increase distance and efficiency as we leave each wall.

Killer Streamlines - We will be looking at the 4 common types of streamline we are seeing nowadays along with analyzing which one works best for you.

Reducing Frontal Drag - We will be discussing as a group, the common ways and things that are slowing us down in the water when it comes to frontal drag. Once in the water, we will play with some broken swimming vs more aligned/streamlines positions and practices to aid in reducing front drag.

***Coaches - Would you like to gain experience by supporting this clinic on deck? Please email Crystie at NEcoaches@usms.org to learn more.

About Coach David Graham

David C. Graham -- A native of NJ, he now calls southern NH his home and works at the Town of Swanzey in the Finance Department. David serves on the adjunct faculty list at both MWCC and Franklin Pierce University and this fall, as a volunteer Assistant Swim Coach at Keene State College.

Swimming since the age of 14, Coach Graham has been an avid supporter of masters swimming since returning to the pool 10 years ago and competes regularly as a member of the Granite State Penguins at local meets as well as 3 USMS National Championships and the FINA World Masters Championships hosted in Montreal in 2014.

Coach Graham is a Level 3 USMS and ASCA Masters Coach and has previously worked in the aquatics arena as a professional for more than 15 years. This year he was awarded an Appreciation Award by the LMSC and was selected as the LMSC Coach of the Year in 2015.

Coach Graham will be presenting a clinic, This is a “DRAG” Clinic, based on his learnings from the National Coaches Clinic on January 27th at Simmons University.

Contributed by David C. Graham, NEM-GSP

I’m not exactly sure when I started thinking about the takeaways from the USMS National Coaches Clinic (NCC) in Maryland. I remember leaving the deck on Sunday from the morning pool session and starting to ponder it. I bid our fellow New England coaches from the Cape a safe journey home (they were driving), and then corralled 3 other NE coaches into my car for a drop-off at BWI. The conversation turned to thoughts about the clinic and we threw around some of the highlights and a few lowlights as well. Once I left them curbside at their respective departure gates, my drive was about 3 hours to my aunt’s house in New Jersey, where I would stay the night and finish the drive home to New Hampshire the next day.

Today, I looked at my notes; not so much the ones that I took at the clinic itself, but the scribbles I wrote on 3 sheets of paper once I arrived at my aunt’s place, and then the 2 more from after I arrived home. I guess the 8 hours spent in the car allowed my mind to wander to the weekend with the topics and notions presented.

It truly was a great weekend: 80+ coaches from all over the country, together for the sole purpose of not only to further their knowledge, but to absorb that knowledge and be able to bring it back to their swimmers to enhance their ability to perform in the water. I got to meet many new coaches from across the country and catch up with some I have not seen in a while. I was particularly excited to see Coaches Tim and Dean, the USMS coaches for 2014 Masters Worlds in Montreal, my first big meet, and I am forever thankful to them both for their support and friendship at that meet and beyond.

Gary Hall, Sr presents at the NCC

One of the things that stood out in my experience at the NCC was the varying approaches that coaches from across the spectrum have for just about anything. Listening to Gary Hall, Sr. speak was mesmerizing, and in his soft-spoken tone, he still commands the attention of the room as folks listen to his every word. The notions that he presents — coupling motions, frontal-drag, vortices, etc. — are truly on a scale well beyond the everyday on-the-deck Masters coach, but he does a great job of taking the information he gathers with world class athletes and bringing it to an understanding level for that on-the-deck coach. I came away with things that I not only need to focus on, but some simple fixes that each swimmer can build into their every lap to improve.

On the flip side of Gary’s information, there was Bruce Gemmell, Katie Ledecky’s coach early on in her career. Bruce did not delve deeply into the science of swimming. His approach was more about a feel for the athlete, how they were doing, and paying attention to the simpler things that I notice and keep track of with all my swimmers: stroke count, stroke rate and tempo. Much of his information was much simpler and more relatable as, I imagine, many other coaches operate on the poolside level as he does.

It was also a great experience to be in the water while Gary ran us through some of the drills he uses for teaching and feeling butterfly and breaststroke. It’s not every day you get to swim a drill set and finish at the wall and look up to see Gary Hall Sr giving you a thumbs up for a job well done. The pages of the LMSC newsletter could not hold all the topics and takeaways from the NCC, but check out my This is a “DRAG” Clinic on January 27th where we will put to paper and practice many of the learned items from the NCC applicable to Masters swimmers, especially how we can reduce frontal drag on many fronts, no pun intended.

I would like to thank the LMSC for providing ample funding and support to myself and all the other coaches whom were able to take advantage of this bi-annual opportunity offered by USMS. I am looking forward to the NCC 2 years from now in the middle of the country as well as bringing this year’s information to our vast expanse of New England Masters swimmers.

Swimming since the age of 14, David is a level 3 USMS & ASCA-Masters coach as well as an ALTS Certified Stroke Technician. David has spent 15 years as an aquatics professional operating aquatic facilities and programs from NJ to MA. David serves as an adjunct faculty member at MWCC and FPU and most recently as an Assistant Coach at Keene State College. He is a member of the Granite State Penguins and has competed at 2014’s World Masters Championships in Montreal as well as a swimmer/ on-deck coach at 3 USMS National Championships since 2015.

As an extra gift, Diann Uustal (NEM-SWMR), also competing at the meet, was able to join the NEM-YNS ladies to form a New England Masters Swim Club (NEM) relay team. The foursome swam the 200-meter freestyle relay together and walked away with a first place finish!

Lott spent her 60th birthday participating in her first ever swim meet, diving headfirst into her 60s while crushing distance and sprint events. Freedman grabbed a first place finish in her signature backstroke event — and was asked to be a model for Swimmer Magazine! — while maintaining an impressively positive attitude in the face of mishaps (pulled muscle, foot bruised on a turn, and a DQ). Zraket decided to cram 5 events into each day and tackle her worst fears: trying the 50 butterfly and the 200 IM. Uustal was the strong, determined, unofficial coach giving positive feedback and support throughout the meet.

The Sarasota Sharks were very welcoming and friendly. It was an amazing and fun meet filled with a group of Master swimmers coming together, regardless of age, skill, and motivation, to share their passion for swimming and competition.

All applicants are required to complete the Town’s employment application form, which can be found under the "Attached Files" section of the job posting at www.concordma.gov/jobs. Completed applications should be sent via email to jobs@concordma.gov. Please use the subject line "Swim Coach" in your email. Resumes may be attached as additional information but cannot serve as a substitute for completing the application form.

Please do not include any information pertaining to age, race, color religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and physical/medical condition or history on your application.

Applications will continue to be accepted and may be considered until the positions are filled. All applicants will be notified of their standing in the process as soon as a decision has been made regarding their individual application.

Individuals who need accommodation in order to participate in this process should contact the Concord Human Resources Department.

The Town of Concord is committed to a diverse workforce and welcomes applicants with disabilities and/or from multi-cultural communities. EOE

After an intense two-day clinic filled with captivating speakers, a few Olympians, and a roaring crowd of USMS coaches with impressive backgrounds, my head was spinning with delight on my way home. How could I share what I learned? How can swimmers get faster right now with this information?

I distilled the hours of lecture, demonstration and pool time down to “Five Key Takeaways.” Ultimately these take aways are real training habits swimmers and triathletes can implement THIS WEEK to become healthier, stronger and faster at any age.

1) Dryland Warmup

Shoulder Flexibility Testing

Bo Hickey, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, detailed the importance of a dynamic warm up before hitting the water. This aids in injury prevention and prepares the body before it is loaded in the water. Many runners have a standard pre-run warm up routine and swimming should be no different. Bo details a pre-swim dryland warmup via article and video here.

Takeaway: Don’t skip the dryland warmup pre-swim.

2) Reduce Frontal Drag ﻿

Plantar Flexion Exercise

Olympian Dr. Gary Hall Sr. of The Race Club reminded us we are always moving forward in the water, which happens to be 800x more dense than air! Frontal drag is significant and we have to find ways to work through the water effectively. A very common yet fixable area of drag for many triathletes is toes pointed down or out to the side when swimming. Swimmers with biking and running backgrounds can have limited plantar flexion which can increase frontal drag up to 30%. Working ankle flexibility out of the water can save valuable time in the water. Dryland training can include sitting on ankles with toes pointed inward for :20 - 2:00 at a time daily. For more on ankle flexibility and dryland work from The Race Club, click here.

﻿3) Interval Train

Coach Bruce Gemmell shared great insight into his time coaching Katie Ledecky. In addition to working hard, setting goals and prioritizing self-care, swimmers must know their training zones/paces. Similar to training on the bike using Functional Threshold Power and running using VDOT values, swimmers should be aware of their various working paces (easy, aerobic, aerobic endurance, and anaerobic). Coach Gemmell uses the Jon Urbanchek color system with his swimmers. Each swimmer has detailed charts of their various paces in various work zones. There is an app for that!

4) Perform Tri Specific Skills in the Pool

Open Water Drafting and Buoy Turn Skills in the Pool

Jack Mcafee, IMFL Male Winner 2016 and Helen Naylor, USMS National Coaches Committee Volunteer, reviewed opportunities to work open water skills in both the open water and pool throughout the season. These skills can easily be practiced in a pool if open water is not available. Pack swimming, drafting skills, treading water starts, sighting, etc. can be creatively practiced in pools. This video details various ways to draft in open water, and can be adapted for the pool with 2+ people in a lane. Various sighting skills shown here can be perfected in the pool before hitting the open water.

Leaf Peepers is a meet where world-record setters and USMS first timers hang out together on deck and in the pool. Fritz Bedford (top left) set one world and one national record in the men’s 55-59 age group.

UVRay Susan Reid helps swimmers decide which item to take from the renowned awards table filled with amazing baked goods.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT – Fritz Bedford set his ninth lifetime Masters World Record on October 20, 2018 at the 10th Annual Leaf Peepers Masters Mini Meet at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center (UVAC).

During the meet, the 55-year-old Bedford, a member of the UVRays masters team, launched three attacks on the record book. In his first event, Bedford’s 28.16 in the 50-meter backstroke was half a second off the world record of 27.62, but good enough for a new NELMSC record. In the 50 butterfly, Bedford had more success. His 26.55 set a new national record in the men’s 55-59 age group and was one-tenth of a second shy of the world record. Finally, in his third event, Bedford blasted a 1:00.78 in the 100 backstroke, clipping six one-hundredths of a second off the previous world record.

Arnold Meardon, the meet’s most senior swimmer, set two NELMSC records.

In addition to Fritz’s three records, which were automatic NELMSC records, two other swimmers set regional marks. Arnold Meardon of the UVRays set two NELMSC records in the men’s 85-89 age group: 50 fly (1:07.26) and 100 IM (2:28.79). David Vail of Maine Masters set three NELMSC records in the men’s 75-79 division: 50 back (40.88); 100 back (1:29.55); and 200 back (3:20.07). UVRay Jim Larrick (men’s 35-39) took home “Fastest Man in the Pool” honors with a meet record 12.11 in the 25 freestyle.

Swimmers decide who will take which leg on the Icebreaker Relay.

This year’s Icebreaker Relay shuffled 24 swimmers into four random teams, where everyone had to quickly become friends and choose their best relay lineup. Relay legs included kicking with a pumpkin, swimming with apples, howling at the moon, and partnered swimming with a noodle.

Liquid Assets (LANES) is looking for one to two part-time coaches to join the team’s coaching staff.

About LANES: We are a 501(c)3 organization and Boston's only Masters swim team for New England's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community and their friends and allies. Team members span a range of ages and abilities -- from avid competitor to fitness swimmer.

Qualifications: We are looking for part-time Masters Swim coaches. We are a competitive Masters Swim Team so coaches must have previous experience in creating and coaching high-level workouts. Weekday practices are held in the evenings at pools in Boston’s South End and Dorchester neighborhoods. Weekend practices are held in the mornings (9-11am approximately) at the same pools.

Requirements: Candidates should have swim coaching experience, knowledge of stroke technique, the ability to write workouts, and a positive attitude. Competitive swimming experience is preferred but not required.

NEWPORT, VT -- The 10th Annual Kingdom Swim was held on July 28th in Lake Memphremagog in Newport, Vermont. The 125 swimmers competed under sunny skies in 72-74F water temperatures. Swimmers raced in the 1 mile, 5 km, 10 km, 10 mile, or 25 km Border Buster event into Canada and back. Masters swimmers from New England represented well in all courses and posted many top finishes.

In the 10-mile race, 29-year-old Morgan Grozier of East Orleans, MA and 57-year-old George Boerger of Kingston, MA each won a walking stick, a pound of Brault's Beef Jerky, a quart of Couture's Maple Syrup, and a six-pack of Burke Mountain ski tickets.

Alana Aubin post-10km victory

In the 10km race Eric Nilsson stormed away from the field -- to no one's surprise -- finishing first in a time of 2 hours 10 minutes 49 seconds. Alana Aubin completed another strong Kingdom Swim to win the overall female division in a time of 2 hours 38 minutes 48 seconds.

Registration for the 2019 Kingdom Swim opened September 1. With only 30 spots in each event, register early to secure your spot and chance to enjoy a weekend of friendly open-water competition in the scenic Northeast Kingdom!